Is This It?
by thisisanawesomepenname
Summary: The eleven-year-old Lily Evans is just discovering she is a witch. Join her as she finds her place at Hogwarts, a school of magic unlike anything she's ever experienced.  Now rated K, eventually will develop into a romance between Lily and James, rated T
1. Chapter One

(Author's Note: Hey there! Well, this is my first story. Right now it's pretty cliche, Lily finding out she's a witch and all. Anyway, right now it's rated K+ because there's not much going on, but in later chapters, as we go through Lily's seven years at Hogwarts, it'll get more mature, with swearing and sexytimes and the like. So I'll change the ratings and summary accordingly. Also, it's taking place in the present time.

Not that this is going on after the books ended, but you might need to suspend your disbelief a bit, because of things like Dumbledore and McGonagall not being teachers, cell phones existing, things like that. Anyway, I hope you like it!)

"Lily!"

"Coming, mum!"

Lily Evans had just woken up.

It was a perfectly gorgeous summer day in England. School had just gotten out, and everyone was looking forward to their summer vacations.

And so was Lily. Or… well, until this morning she was.

See, what was happening to Lily Evans was quite beyond her understanding. Even though she wouldn't admit to anyone-let alone herself-strange things had been happening to Lily. Bees that were about to sting her would suddenly fly away. The tap in her bathroom would shut off without her having touched it.

All little things that Lily could explain away, but this morning, what had happened was different. This… this was big.

At some point during the night, Lily's room had decided to rearrange itself. Her bed, desk, bookshelf, and dresser were now in all different places than they had been 10 hours ago. And it was quite a coincidence that Lily had just been thinking to herself the other day that her room could use a bit of redecorating.

How was she going to explain this to her mum?

"Lily! Come down for breakfast already!" Lily's mom was growing impatient, and she wouldn't wait much longer. She started work at 9:00, and it was now 8:15. She liked to have breakfast with Lily, her older sister Petunia, and her younger brother Luke before she left the house.

Lily didn't think anyone would come into her room before she finished breakfast and figured out a way to deal with this mess, but just in case, she stuck a note on the door that said, "WARNING: I FARTED. IT SMELLS REALLY BAD."

That ought to keep everyone out.

Lily walked downstairs and saw her family sitting at the table, eating French toast. "Morning, everyone!" She said cheerily, trying to act like nothing was wrong.

"Morning, Lily," everyone replied in unison. Lily took in the scene. Her mother was now bustling around looking for something, presumably her keys. Her father was calmly reading the newspaper and enjoying his daily coffee. Her sister and brother were both eating their French toast with obvious enjoyment.

"So," Lily said. "What's everyone doing today?"

"Well," her father began. "Your mother and I are going to work, as usual. Petunia's going to a movie with Isla. Luke is going to play over at Noah's."

"Oh, that's good," Lily said. "What exactly am I doing today?"

"There aren't that many options for an 11-year old in England alone for the day, Lily. You should have told us what you wanted to do yesterday," her dad replied.

"Well, I was busy!" Lily exclaimed. The truth was, she hadn't been that busy. She'd been over at her friend Severus's house. But as of late, she sensed Severus was starting to pull away from her, and she had no idea why. Was it something she'd said?

"Aha! Found 'em!" Lily's mom shouted, holding up her keys triumphantly.

"You'll just have to stay home today, Lily," her dad said.

This wasn't actually a bad thing. Maybe she'd be able to figure out what was going on with Severus. _Yes_, she thought. _I can call Severus and ask him to meet me at the park, and I can pack some sandwiches, and we'll sort everything out. _

"Okay, that's fine," Lily said, ending the discussion.

Everyone ate breakfast in peace and soon enough it was time for Lily's mum and dad to leave. Her mum left to walk to the bus station, and her dad took the car. He would have given her a ride but Mrs. Evans liked walking better. She said it gave her time to think.

Noah's mum came by to pick Luke up, and then it was just Lily and Petunia. Lily adored her sister; there were five years between them, but Lily liked to think that they were the same age, because they thought pretty much the same things about everything.

So Lily and Petunia watched TV, and Petunia waited patiently until it was time to go meet Isla at the movie theatre. "Tuney," Lily said. "What movie are you going to go see? Can I come?"

"God, no," Petunia replied. "We're going to see an adult movie."

"Did you tell mum and dad? Would they be okay with it?" Lily asked mischievously.

Petunia looked away from the television, and shifted her body so that she was facing Lily. "Listen, Lily," she said. "You cannot tell mum and dad, understand? No, they wouldn't be happy."

Lily had no intention of tattling on Petunia, she had just been joking around. "I'm just kidding," she said, and Petunia visibly relaxed.

Eventually Tuney left for the movie, and Lily was left alone in the house. She went into the kitchen to get a snack, and saw something shift out of the corner of her eye. She looked a bit closer and realized a letter had been pushed through the mail slot. It was thick and heavy, and had a wax seal. Thinking it was for her dad, she made her way upstairs to his offfice, where she would leave it on his desk.

But when Lily turned over the envelope, her dad's name wasn't on it. It was addressed to her.

Lily walked into her bedroom, intending to sit on her bed and read the letter, but she walked into her bookshelf instead. The letter fell to the ground as Lily put her hands to her head. "Crap!" She yelled. She had completely forgotten about her bedroom! What was she going to do? She definitely wouldn't be able to move all this heavy furniture by herself.

As 11-year-olds often do, Lily chose to procrastinate. She made her way to her bed, sat down, and took a closer look at the letter.

She saw it was addressed in a very peculiar way:

Ms. L. Evans

The Newly Rearranged Bedroom

… followed by her address.

She quickly opened the envelope, noticing the wax seal was molded into a coat of arms for what looked like a place called Hogwarts.

_ Why would anyone name _anything_ 'Hogwarts'? _Lily thought.

And as she opened the letter, something very strange began to happen. Her entire room began to tidy itself. Her furniture-including her bed, with her on it-started to glide as if their bases had been greased. Everything shifted until it was right back where it had been when Lily had gone to sleep.

The clothes that had been on the floor floated into the air and folded themselves, then were placed back in the dresser. The books that had been on her desk in a haphazard pile got bookmarks, then were sorted back onto her bookshelf.

_Bloody hell!_ Lily thought. She didn't normally swear, being only 11, but she thought that if there was ever a time to swear, it would be now.

Suddenly the cleaning stopped, and Lily's room was the cleanest it had been in months. Lily shook her head in astonishment and pulled the letter out of the envelope.

This is what it said.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster__: __Albus__Dumbledore_

_(__Order__of__Merlin__, __First__Class__, __Grand__Sorc__., __Chf__. __Warlock__, __Supreme__Mugwump__, __International__Confed__. __of__Wizards__)_

_Dear__Ms__. __Evans__,_

_We__are__pleased__to__inform__you__that__you__have__been__accepted__at__Hogwarts__School__of__Witchcraft__and__Wizardry__. __Please__find__enclosed__a__list__of__all__necessary__books__and__equipment__._

_Term__begins__on__September__ 1. __We__await__your__owl__by__no__later__than__July__ 31. _

_Yours__sincerely__,_

_Minerva__McGonagall__, __Deputy__Headmistress_

_ Well, _Lily thought,_ that clears everything up._ She now had more questions than answers. And her gut feeling was that the only person she could talk to about this was… you guessed it: Severus. Lily grabbed her phone and dialed the number. Severus picked up on the second ring.

"Lily," he said.

"Yes, Severus, it's me. Listen, I really need you to come over. It's important."

Severus lived about a 15-minute walk away.

"I'll be there in 10."

He was there in 7.

"Yes," Lily said. "You're here." She dragged him upstairs.

"Did you do something with your room?" He asked. "It looks… clean."

"Now is not the time for cleanliness, Severus!" Lily admonished. "Look what I got in the mail today!" She shouted, waving the letter in the air.

Severus took the letter in his hands, and his eyes lit up. "I didn't know if you would get one," he said quietly.

"Get what? What does this mean, Severus? What is this 'Hogwarts school for…witches'?"

"Lily," Severus said, putting down the envelope, and looking into her eyes. "I know you don't understand it right now, but let me explain it to you."

And so Severus Snape told Lily Evans that she was, in fact, a witch, and he was a wizard, and come September 1, they would both be first-years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

(Author's Note: Well, there's the first chapter. A bit of an abrupt ending, but you know what would have gone on anyway. Reviews, please! Even if you just say you liked it, it'll make my day!)


	2. Chapter Two

September 1

If Lily Evans ever had the misfortune of falling asleep in Platform 9 and 3/4 on August 31, it would not be a very good sleep. To say that the platform was busy on September 1 would be like saying Twilight is not the best book in the world: a massive understatement.

Lily had had a very busy two months. After she received the letter, she had had to tell her parents she was a witch. That had not been fun. Telling Luke and Tuney had been better though, they cracked jokes and imagined what it would be like for Lily at this magical new school.

Then Lily had had to borrow the Snape's owl to send her reply. Later they received a new letter, listing all the books and materials she would need.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Uniform_

_First__-__year__students__will__require__: _

_1. __Three__sets__of__plain__work__robes__ (__black__)_

_One__plain__pointed__hat__ (__black__) __for__day__wear_

_One__pair__of__protective__gloves__ (__dragon__hide__or__similar__) _

_One__winter__cloak__ (__black__, __silver__fastenings__) _

_Please__note__that__all__pupils__' __clothes__should__carry__name__tags_

_COURSE____BOOKS___

_All__students__should__have__a__copy__of__each__of__the__following__: _

_The__Standard__Book__of__Spells__ (__Grade__ 1) __by__Miranda__Goshawk_

_A__History__of__Magic__by__Bathilda__Bagshot_

_Magical__Theory__by__Adalbert__Waffling_

_A__Beginners__' __Guide__to__Transfiguration__by__Emetic__Switch_

_One__Thousand__Magical__Herbs__and__Fungi__by__Phyllida__Spore_

_Magical__Drafts__and__Potions__by__Arsenius__Jigger_

_Fantastic__Beasts__and__Where__to__Find__Them__by__Newt__Scamander_

_The__Dark__Forces__: __A__Guide__to__Self__-__Protection__by__Quentin__Trimble_

_OTHER____EQUIPMENT_

_Wand_

_Cauldron__ (__pewter__, __standard__size__ 2) __set_

_Glass__or__crystal__phials_

_Telescope__set_

_Brass__scales_

_Students__may__also__bring__an__owl__OR__a__cat__OR__a__toad_

_PARENTS__ARE__REMINDED__THAT__FIRST__YEARS__ARE__NOT__ALLOWED__THEIR__OWN__BROOMSTICKS__. _

Lily had absolutely no idea where she was going to find a wand, a cauldron, or all these strange textbooks. So that had required another long conversation with Severus, who told her that there was a place called Diagon Alley, basically a wizard marketplace, where she would be able to find all these things. Lily wanted to go early, to assure that she would have all her supplies, but as it turns out, Severus wasn't available when she had wanted to go (around August 5), so they had had to write to Hogwarts to ask for someone to accompany Lily and her mother to Diagon Alley.

At precisely 6:00 AM on August 5, there was a very loud popping sound coming from the Evans's living room. Mr. And Mrs. Evans raced downstairs, to find a regal elderly lady standing there, as if the fact that she had just popped into their living room was completely normal.

She introduced herself with a firm handshake. "Minerva McGonagall. I'm the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts."

"Charles Evans," Lily's father said, returning the handshake.

"Alice Evans," Lily's mother said quietly, not shaking hands. She was a bit intimidated by this woman in her pointed hat and gold-rimmed glasses. She wore emerald and black robes, where as both the Evans parents were wearing pajamas.

"Pleasure to meet both of you," McGonagall said. "Now, where is Lily? We're scheduled to be at Diagon Alley for 6:30."

"She's still sleeping," Lily's mum said. "It's 6:00 in the morning!"

"This is when I get up on _weekends_," McGonagall said, as if everyone should be awake at 6:00. She could not understand why people would choose to stay in bed, losing hours of work time.

"Well," Mrs. Evans replied. "Lily won't be up until 8:30, at the earliest."

"That will not do," McGonagall replied, and with a snap of her fingers, she was gone, presumably right into Lily's bedroom.

Lily was, in fact, still sleeping, and she definitely needed her sleep. She hadn't been able to fall asleep last night, completely excited for the next day.

Little did she know she was about to wake up to a peculiar woman in her bedroom.

"Lily!" McGonagall called. "It's time for us to go!"

Lily's parents had raced upstairs in the meantime, and now they were banging on the door, which McGonagall had locked. "Lily! Lily!" They called.

Lily awoke with a groan. "Ugh," she said, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Time for us to go," said McGonagall.

And at the sound of the woman's voice, Lily opened her eyes and screamed.

"MUM! DAD! WHO IS THIS LADY?"

"I'm the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts," McGonagall said impatiently. "And it's time for us to go."

"All right," Lily said groggily. "Just… let me get dressed, and we can go."

"All right," the woman replied. "But hurry."

And then McGonagall opened the door with a flick of her hand, and Lily's parents came tumbling into the room. They looked at McGonagall with expressions of wonder and incredulousness. McGonagall cocked her head. "Problem?" She asked, already exiting the room.

But it wasn't really a question.


End file.
